Suspended toy animal



y 1960 L. c. STUKENBORG 2,935,318

SUSPENDED TOY ANIMAL Original Filed March 8, 1956 IN VEN TOR, LOU/.5 C. 8 TUKBVBORG' Patented May 3, 19

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SUSPENDED TOY ANINIAL Continuation of application Serial No. 570,348, March 8, 1956. This application December 5, 1957, Serial No. 700,913

9 Claims. (Cl. 272-52) This invention is a continuation of my copending application, Senal No. 570,348, filed March 8, 1956, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in suspended toy animals. In particular, it relates to new and useful improvements in spring-suspended toy animals such as a horse or other simulated toy animal forms, and such as are represented, for example, by my co-pending application, Serial No. 487,047, filed February 9, 1955; by my co-pending application, Serial No. 508,443, filed May 16, 1955; and by Baltz Reissue Patent 23,849.

in previous spring-suspended toy animals the horse or other animal body has been resiliently supported from forward and rearward upstanding standards spaced away from the toy animal. While such a resilient forward and rearward suspension has permitted movement in a variety of directions, such movement has not completely simulated the motions of a horse or similar animals.

It is contemplated in the present invention that new and improved means be provided in a suspended toy replacing the hereinabove referred to forward resilient suspension means, whereby a toy animal is provided having improved action which will more nearly simulate a horse and the like in motion. Additionally, such means provides improved rearing action over that disclosed in k my copending application, Serial No. 508,443, filed May 16, 1955.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide new and useful improvements in suspended toy animals.

A further object is to provide in such a toy animal improved forward connecting means respectively joining the forward standards with the forward portion of the body means of the animal for the support thereof.

A further object is to provide such connecting means which is not resilient as in previous suspended toy animals, but instead comprises articulated inflexible means linked with a coupler which provides improved action.

A further object is to provide such a coupler having an arcuate portion which acts as a seat for the linking means to permit rearing motion only when desired by the rider and to alleviate any undesired rearing motion.

A further object is to provide such linking means which is shiftable on said coupler at the option of the rider of the animal toy by the riders shift of weight, whereby he may select either a normal horizontal riding position or a rearing position.

A further object is generally to improve the design and construction of suspended toy animals.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention applied to one type of suspended toy animal body and shown in normal horizontal riding position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same in reared position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the device of Figs. 1 and 2 in the normal horizontal riding position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modified form of the invention in the normal horizontal riding position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the device of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the present invention comprises body means 11 suspended from a supporting structure 13. Body means 11 preferably includes an animal body 15, which, as illustrated, is preferably in the form of a horse, and transverse projection means extending outwardly from body 15, the projection means preferably comprising supplementary dowel means 17, front dowel means 13, and rear dowel means 19. Front dowel means 18 preferably is disposed on the forward portion of animal body 15, rear dowel means 19 is preferably disposed on the rearward portion thereof, and supplementary dowel means 17 is preferably disposed forwardly of front dowel means 18.

Supporting structure 13 may comprise a plurality of upstanding standards, including a pair of forward standards 21 and a pair of rear standards 23, which are mounted at their lower ends to a suitable pedestal 25, forward standards 21 being positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of front dowel means 13, and rear standards 23 being positioned rearwardly ofand outwardly from the outer ends of rear dowel means 19.

The rearward end of body means 11 is resiliently supported from rear standards 23, as by tension elements 27 respectively interposed between the upper end of rear standards 23 and the opposite outward ends of rear dowel means 19 and connected thereto by suitable means as eyelet means 29. It will be understood that tension elements 27 may be connected to other portions of the rearward end of body means 11 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Connecting means 31, which form a principal feature of the present invention, are respectively interposed between forward standards 21 and body means 11 whereby the body means is supported from forward standards 21 by connecting means 31. The connecting means 31 on either side of body means 11 are similar except they are symmetrically formed, that is, one is of right handconstruction and the other is of left hand construction. Since the connecting means are similar only one will herein be described for the purpose of simplicity.

Each of connecting means 31 is non-resilient as opposed to the tension elements 27, and preferably comprises coupler means 33 and link means 35 linked therewith.

Coupler means 33 preferably comprises a depending rod-like and somewhat elongated element having an arcuate portion 37 adjacent its upper end and having link limiting means 39 adjacent the lower end thereof. Arcuate portion 37 may be formed by bending the upper end of coupler means 33 rearwardly whereby the bent end portion extends substantially perpendicular to the main portion of the coupler means.

The upper end of coupler means 33 is attached to body means 11 preferably at the end of front dowel means 18. This attachment may be accomplished by reversely bending the extreme upper end of coupler means 33 to form an eyelet therein and by extending a bolt 41 through the eyelet, which bolt may be anchored in the end of front dowel means 18.

dowel means 17 may be accomplished by bending the end of the elongated brace form an eyelet and by e):-

' tending a bolt 45 therethrough, which may be anchored in the end of dowel means 17. Link limiting means 39 may be established by deforming coupler means 33 and 1 brace 43 in the vicinity where the two are joined to provide a U-shaped loop which engages and limits the relative movement of link means 35 and coupler means 33. From the foregoing it will be understood that coupler means 33 and brace means 43 are preferably formed from a unitary rod-like piece of material, as of steel rod, bent to form the shape hereinabove described.

A modified form of the means of bracing the lower end of coupler means 33 is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein it will be seen brace 143 is integrally formed with the lower 7 end of the coupler means and extends rearwardly therefrom to a point of connection with the outer end of rear dowel means 19. This connection may be formed by providing a hook in the rearward end of the brace'143 and joining the hook with eyelet means 29. V Brace 143 eX- tends substantially perpendicular from coupler means 33 whereby a bend is provided at the juncture thereof, said bend forming link limiting means 39. It will be understood that as in the preferred embodiment, the modified form as herein described may be accomplished by providing a unitary rod-like piece of material, as a steel rod, bent in the hereinabove described form.

Liuk'means 35 preferably comprises a pulley 47 or other suitable means shiftably linked with coupler means 33, and additionally comprises an elongated rigid rod 49 having a hook provided at the rearward end thereof which is pivotally coupled to pulley 47 as through an eyelet'St) provided forwardly thereof. The forward end of rod 49 is pivotally coupled to one of front standards 21 adjacent the upper end thereof as by providing a hook at the forward end of the rod and joining thehook to an eye let 51 which is anchored in the upper portion of the forward standard.

The toy animal of the present invention is normally ridden in the horizontal position best illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. In this normal horizontal position a motion is imparted to the animal by the rider which creates the effect of a live animal being ridden. In the present invention the riderexperiences a sensation substantially like that experienced in riding a live horse or a similar animal. The movements of the horse are more nearly simulated than in previous devices of this type due to the construction of the connecting means 31 of the present invention,

the connecting means being articulated and rigid as op-' posed to the forward resilient means of previous devices and permits a radial and somewhat restricted movement of the forward portion of body means 11 to simulate the movements of a horse.

While the device of the present invention is being ridden in the normal position, the roller of pulley 47 engages arcuate portion 37 to permit the above-mentioned radial movement. Additionally, arcuate portion 37 acts as a seat for link means 35 and limits undesired shift of the link means along coupler means 33. a

Connecting means 31 in addition to providing the simulated action hereinabove described is adapted to permit upward rearing of the body means 11 to an angular or reared disposition best illustrated in Fig. 2. In said angular position body means 11 is disposed at an angle relative to'the horizontal. It will be understood that such an angular position is accomplished at the will of the rider by his shift of weight and upward pull upon the handles of the body means. Thus it will be seen coupler means 33 d carried by body means 11 will shift relative to link means 35 until the link means engages link limiting means 39 to stop the body means 11 in said angular or rearing position. Then when the rider desires to shift the horse from the said rearing position to said normal riding position he may shift his weight forwardly thereby shifting link means 35 along coupler means 33 until the pulley 47 engages arcuate portion 37, the body means 11 then being disposed in a normal or horizontal position. Q

From the foregoing it will be understood that novel connecting means is provided in a suspended toy animal whereby in the normal riding position the device closely simulates the motion of a horse or the like when being ridden, said connecting means being so constructed that the animal will not have a tendency to be shifted from said normal position except at the will of the rider. Further, it will be understood that such a suspended toy animal is provided which may be reared up into an angular position at the option of the rider.

I claim:

1. In a suspended toy animal, a body, front and rear dowel means respectively projecting from opposite sides of said body, a pair of forward standards positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of said front dowel means, a pair of rear standards positioned rearwardly of and outwardly from the outer ends of said rear do'wel means, tension means respectively connected to said rear standards and extending diagonally inwardly toward said rear dowel means and being connected with said rear dowel means, rigid rod-like coupler means respectively rigidly attached to and depending from opposite ends of said front dowel means, each of said coupler means including an arcuate po'rtion adjacent its upper end, and limiting means adjacent its lower end, said arcuate portion forming substantially a ninety degree bend in said coupler means, means respectively linking said forward standards to said coupler means whereby to support the forward portion of the body means from said forward standards, each of said linking means including a rod pivotally connected at an end thereof to one of said forward standards and having a pulley pivotally connected to the other end thereof, said pulley linked with and rollingly engaging said coupler means, said coupler means being shiftable upon selective pull and push exerted on said body from and to a normal position whereupon said body is disposed in a normal horizontal position and shiftable' to and from an angular position whereupon said body is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal, said linking means engaging said arcuate portion of said coupler means in said normal position whereby an effective movement is permitted and at the same time any undesired rearing motion is prevented, and said linking means engaging said limiting means in said angular position to limit the shift of said coupler meansfand said body. a

2. In a suspended toy animal, a body, front and rear dowel means respectively projecting from opposite sides of said body, supplementary dowel means projecting from opposite sides of said body forward of said front dowel means, a pair of forward standards positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of said front dowel means, a pair of rear standards positioned rearwardly of and outwardly from the outer ends of said rear dowel means, tension means respectively connected to said rear standards and extending diagonally inwardly toward said rear dowel means and being connected with said rear dowel means, rigid rod-like coupler means respectively rigidly attached to and depending from opposite ends of said front dowel means, each of said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, limiting means adjacent its lower end, and a brace member integrally formed with its lower end, said arcuate portion forming substantially a ninety degree bend in said coupler means, said brace members angled forwardly from said coupler means and respectively attached to opposite ends of said supplementary dowel means, linking means, means respectively swingably connecting said linking means to said forward standards at one end, means connected to the other end of said linking means and shiftably engaging said coupler means, said coupler means being shiftable upon selective pull and push exerted on said body from and to a normal position whereupon said body is disposed in a normal horizontal position and shiftable to and from an angular position whereupon said body is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal, said linking means engaging said arcuate portion of said coupler means in said normal position whereby an efiective movement is permitted and at the same time any undesired rearing motion is prevented, and said linking means engaging said limiting means in said angular position to limit the shift of said coupler means and said body.

3. In a suspended toy animal, a body, front and rear dowel means respectively projecting from opposite sides of said body, a pair of forward standards positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of said front dowel means, a pair of rear standards positioned rearwardly of and outwardly from the outer ends of said rear dowel means, tension means respectively connected to said rear standards and extending diagonally inwardly toward said rear dowel means and being connected with said rear dowel means, rigid rod-like coupler means respectively rigidly attached to and depending from said front dowel means, each of said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, limiting means adjacent its lower end, and a brace member integrally formed with its lower end, said brace members extending rearwardly from said coupler means and respectively attached to opposite ends of said rear dowel means, linking means respectively swingably connected to said forward standards at one end, means connected to the other end of said linking means and shiftably engaging said coupler means, said linking means including an elongated rigid rod, said coupler means being shiftable upon selective pull and push exerted on said body from and to a normal position whereupon said body is disposed in a normal horizontal position and shiftable to and from an angular position whereupon said body is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal, said linking means engaging said arcuate portion of said coupler means in said normal position whereby an effective movement is permitted and at the same time any undesired rearing motion is prevented, and said linking means engaging said limiting means in said angular position to limit the shift of said coupler means and said body.

4. In a suspended toy animal, a body, front and rear dowel means respectively projecting from opposite sides of said body, a pair of forward standards positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of said front dowel means, a pair of rear standards positioned rearwardly of and outwardly from the outer ends of said rear dowel means, tension means respectively connected to said rear standards and extending diagonally inwardly toward said rear dowel means and being connected with said rear dowel means, rigid rod-like coupler means respectively rigidly attached to and depending from said front dowel means, each of said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, and limiting means adjacent its lower end, linking means respectively connecting said forward standards and said coupler means whereby to support said body adjacent the forward portion theerof, each of said linking means includ ng a rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of said forward standards and having a pulley connected to the other end thereof, said pulley linked with and rollingly engaging said coupler means, said coupler means being'shiftable in said pulley upon selective pull and push exerted on said body from and to a normal position whereupon said body is disposed in a normal horizontal position and shiftable to and from an angular position whereupon said body is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal, said pulley engaging said arcuate portion of said coupler means in said normal position whereby an effective movement is permitted and at the same time any undesired rearing motion is prevented, and said pulley engaging said limiting means in said angular position to limit the shift of said coupler means and said body.

5. In a suspended toy animal, a body, front and rear dowel means respectively projecting from opposite sides of said body, a pair of forward standards positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of said front dowel means, a pair of rear standards positioned rearwardly of and outwardly from the outer ends of said rear dowel means, tension means respectively connected to said rear standards and extending diagonally inwardly toward said rear dowel means and being connected with said rear dowel means, rigid rod-like coupler means respectively rigidly attached to and depending from said front dowel means, each of said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, limiting means adjacent its lower end, and a brace member integrally formed with its lower end, said brace member extending rearwardly from said coupler means and respectively attached to opposite ends of said rear dowel means, linking means respectively connecting said forward standards and said coupler means whereby to support said body adjacent the forward portion thereof, each of said link-means including a rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of said forward standards and having a pulley connected to the other end thereof, said pulley linked with and rollingly engaging said coupler means, said coupler means being shiftable in said pulley upon selective pull and'push exerted on said body from and to a normal position whereupon said body is disposed in a normal horizontal position and shiftable to and from an angular position whereupon said body is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal, said pulley means engaging said arcuate portion of said coupler means in said normal position whereby an effective movement is permitted and at the same time any undesired motion is prevented, and said pulley engaging said l miting means in said angular position to limit the shift of said coupler means and said body.

6. In a suspended toy animal, a body, front and rear dowel means respectively projecting from opposite sides of said body, supplementary dowel means projecting from opposite sides of said body forward of said front dowel means, a pair of forward standards positioned forwardly of and outwardly from the opposite outer ends of said front dowel means, a pair of rear standards positioned rearwardly of and outwardly from the outer ends of said rear dowel means, tension means respectively connected to said rear standards and extending diagonally inwardly toward said rear dowel means and being connected with said rear dowel means, rigid rod-like coupler means respectively rigidly attached to and depending from said front dowel means, each of said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, limiting means adjacent its lower end, and a brace member integrally formed with its lower end, said brace members angled forwardly from said coupler means and respectively attached to opposite ends of said supplementary dowel means, linking means respectively connecting said forward standards and said coupler means whereby to support said body adjacent the forward portion thereof, each of said linking means including a rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of said forward standards and having a pulley connected to the other end thereof,

said pulley linked with and rollingly'engaging said coupler means, said coupler means being shiftable in said pulley upon selective pull and push exerted, on said body from'and to a normal position whereupon said body is disposed in a normal horizontal position and shiftable to and from an angular position whereupon said body is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal, said pulley engaging said arcuate portion of said coupler means in said normal position whereby an eifective movement is permitted and at the same time any undesired rearing motion is prevented, and said pulleyengaging said limiting means in said angular position to limit the shift of said coupler means and said body.

7. In a suspended toy animal, body means, means supporting said body means for simulating the movements of a horse and the like, said supportingmeans including forward and rearward standards spaced outwardly from said body means, tension means coupling said rearward standards with said body means adjacent the rearward portion of the body means whereby the body means is resiliently supported therefrom, depending elongated coupler means rigidly connected with said body means adjacent the forward portion of the body means, said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, said arcuate portion forming substantially a ninety degree bend in said coupler means, means respectively linking said forward standards to said coupler means whereby to support the forward portion of the body means from said forward standards, said linking means each including an elongated rod swingably connected at one end to a forward standard, means connected to the other end of said linking means and shiftably engaging said coupler means normally in said arcuate portion which acts as a seat therefor, said coupler being reciprocally shiftable relative to said linking means whereby said body is adapted to be shifted to an inclined position of angularity relative to the horizontal for simulation of the rearing position of a horse and the like.

8. In a suspended toy animal, body means, means supporting said body means for simulating the movements cent the forward portion of the body means, means respectively linking said forward standards to said coupler means wherebyto support theforward portion of the body means from said forward standards, each of said linking means including a rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of said forward standards and having a pulley connected to the other end thereof, said pulley linked with and rollingly engaging said coupler means, said coupler being reciprocally shiftable relative to said linking means whereby said body means is adapted to be shifted to an inclined position of angularity relative to the horizontal for simulation of the rearing position of a horse and the like. 7

9. Ina suspended toy animal, bodymeans, means attached to and resiliently supporting the rearward end of said body means, forward supporting means, connect ing means connecting said forward supporting means to i the forward end of said body means whereby the forward end of the body means is supported from the forward supporting means, said connecting means including an elongated rigid coupler and linking means linked therewith, said coupler means including an arcuate portion adjacent its upper end, said arcuate portion forming substantially a ninety degree bend in said coupler means, said linking means including means shiftable connected to said coupler means and normally engaging said coupler means in said arcuate portion which acts as a seat therefor, said linking means being reciprocally shiftable relative to said coupler whereby said body means is shiftable relative to said forward supporting means from and to a normal position, in which said body means is disposed horizontally, to and from an angular position, in which said body means is disposed in a position of angularity relative to the horizontal simulating the rearing position of an animal.

References Cited 'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,849 Baltz June 13, 1954 675,480 Heinlin June 4, 1901 1,468,993 Converse Sept. 25, 1923 2,624,579 Savella et al. Jan. 6, 1953 2,625,395 Spangler Jan. 13, 1953 2,680,020 Dwyer 'June 1, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,577 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1893 251,303 Germany Sept. 30, 1912 

